I see no evidence that Obama has learned anything during his first about what he's up against and what he needs to do in order to move forward with the most important parts of his agenda.
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28 Sep 11
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13 May 10
thinkahol *The way the Senate works is no longer consistent with a functioning government, and senators should change the rules to end obstructionism.
Democratic Party Republican Senate Shelby Richard C United States Politics and Government
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16 Apr 10
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15 Feb 10
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10 Feb 10
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government
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We’ve always known that America’s reign as the world’s greatest nation would eventually end
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We’ve always known that America’s reign as the world’s greatest nation would eventually end
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we’re paralyzed by procedure
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17th and 18th centuries
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A brief history lesson
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the unanimity
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Polish legislature
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principle
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any member could nullify legislation by shouting “I do not allow!” This made the nation largely ungovernable, and neighboring regimes began hacking off pieces of its territory. By 1795 Poland had disappeared, not to re-emerge for more than a century
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Last week, after nine months, the Senate finally approved
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Martha Johnson to head
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General Services Administration
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government
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buildings and purchases supplies
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nonpolitical position
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nobody
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questioned Ms. Johnson’s qualifications
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approved by a vote of 94 to
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Senator Christopher Bond
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put a “hold” on her appointment
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to pressure
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inspired Senator Richard Shelby
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This dubious achievement
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placed a hold on all outstanding Obama administration nominations
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until his state gets a tanker contract and a counterterrorism center
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What gives individual senators this kind of power
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it’s difficult to get anything done unless everyone agrees on procedure
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In the past, holds were used sparingly
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But that was then
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it’s only natural that individual senators should feel free to take the nation hostage until they get their pet projects funded
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the way the Senate works is no longer consistent with a functioning government
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09 Feb 10
Cameron Young
This dubious achievement may have inspired Senator Richard Shelby, Republican of Alabama. In any case, Mr. Shelby has now placed a hold on all outstanding Obama administration nominations — about 70 high-level government positions — until his state gets a tanker contract and a counterterrorism center.
And with the national G.O.P. having abdicated any responsibility for making things work, it’s only natural that individual senators should feel free to take the nation hostage until they get their pet projects funded.
The truth is that given the state of American politics, the way the Senate
works is no longer consistent with a functioning government. Senators themselves
should recognize this fact and push through changes in those rules, including
eliminating or at least limiting the filibuster -
Kore7[T]he Senate used to be ruled by “traditions of comity, courtesy, reciprocity, and accommodation.” But that was then. Rules that used to be workable have become crippling now that one of the nation’s major political parties has descended into nihilism, se
krugman senate government politics partisanship republican usa poland recommended filibuster nihilism lessons history imported
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Sam EinfeldWe've always known that America's reign as the world's greatest nation would eventually end. But most of us imagined that our downfall, when it came, would be something grand and tragic.
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08 Feb 10
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A brief history lesson: In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Polish legislature, the Sejm, operated on the unanimity principle: any member could nullify legislation by shouting “I do not allow!” This made the nation largely ungovernable, and neighboring regimes began hacking off pieces of its territory. By 1795 Poland had disappeared, not to re-emerge for more than a century.
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Much of the Senate’s business relies on unanimous consent: it’s difficult to get anything done unless everyone agrees on procedure. And a tradition has grown up under which senators, in return for not gumming up everything, get the right to block nominees they don’t like.
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In the past, holds were used sparingly. That’s because, as a Congressional Research Service report on the practice says, the Senate used to be ruled by “traditions of comity, courtesy, reciprocity, and accommodation.” But that was then. Rules that used to be workable have become crippling now that one of the nation’s major political parties has descended into nihilism, seeing no harm — in fact, political dividends — in making the nation ungovernable.
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Amped StatusWe’ve always known that America’s reign as the world’s greatest nation would eventually end. But most of us imagined that our downfall, when it came, would be something grand and tragic. What we’re getting instead is less a tragedy than a deadly farce. Instead of fraying under the strain of imperial overstretch, we’re paralyzed by procedure. Instead of re-enacting the decline and fall of Rome, we’re re-enacting the dissolution of 18th-century Poland.
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Add Sticky NoteBut by now, we know how the Obama administration deals with those who would destroy it: it goes straight for the capillaries. Sure enough, Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary, accused Mr. Shelby of “silliness.” Yep, that will really resonate with voters.
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hblume6 BlumeDon’t hold your breath. As it is, Democrats don’t even seem able to score political points by highlighting their opponents’ obstructionism.
It should be a simple message (and it should have been the central message in Massachusetts): a vote for a Republican, no matter what you think of him as a person, is a vote for paralysis. But by now, we know how the Obama administration deals with those who would destroy it: it goes straight for the capillaries. Sure enough, Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary, accused Mr. Shelby of “silliness.” Yep, that will really resonate with voters.
Public Stiky Notes
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